Hay-stacker.



MILES. HAY STAOKER. 7 APPLICATION HLED NOV- 24, |9|5- 1,187,363. Patented June 13, 1916.

Witnesses Inventor,

/ I I y Attorneys m2 comma PLANOGRAPH CO7. WASHINGTON. D. c-

ISAAC MILES, OF BONESTEEL, SOUTH DAKOTA.

HAY-STAGKER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented'June 13, 1916.

Application filed November 24, 1915 Serial N 0. 63,262.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, IsAAoMILns, a citizen of the United States, residing at Bonesteel, in the county of Gregory and State of South Dakota, have invented a new and useful Hay-Stacker, of which the following is a specification. V

The device forming the subject matter of this application is a hay stacker, and one object of the invention is to provide a supporting frame of novel form adapted to be moved readily from one hay stack to another.

Another object of the invention is to improve the rafter construction of the supporting frame, so that the same will form an adequate and substantial support for the track along which the fork supporting carriage moves. 7

A further object of the invention is to provide novel means for holding the carriage in an advanced position releasably, a novel form of latch mechanism being provided which, being actuated by the fork as the latter ascends, permits the carriage to be drawn rearwardly. V

It is within the province of the disclosure to improve generally and to enhance the utility of devices of that type to which the present invention appertains.

With the above and other objects in view which will appear as the description proceeds, the invention resides in the combination and arrangement of parts and in the details of construction hereinafter described and claimed, it being understood that changes in the precise embodiment of the invention herein disclosed can be made within the scope of what is claimed without departing from the spirit of the invention.

In the accompanying drawing :Figure1 shows in side elevation, a hay stacker embodying the present invention; Fig. 2 is a transverse'section looking toward the front of the stacker; Fig. 3 is a top plan; Fig. 4 is a fragmental sectional viewdisclosing the latch mechanism.

In carrying out the present invention there is provided a supporting structure embodying base rails 1 disposed in pairs, the rails 1 of the respective pairs being spaced apart transversely to define slots 2. EX- tended transversely of the base rails 1 at the forward ends thereof is a cross bar 3. Bolts 4 pass downwardly through the cross bar 3 and between the rails 1 of the respective pairs, the lower ends of the bolts 4 carrying sleds 5, bearing blocks 12 being interposed between the upper edges of the sleds 5 and thelower edges of the base rails 1, the bolts 4 passing through the bearing blocks, 12. Assembled with the cross bar 3 is a draft tree 6 or any other suitable means whereby the supporting structure may be drawn about, 7

The base rails I carry, intermediate their ends, axles 7 supportingfor rotation ground wheels 8 located between the base rails 1 of the respective pairs. The base rails 1 of the respective pairs are connected adjacent their rear ends by caps 9 through which pass bolts 10, the bolts 10 carrying'sleds 11,, the bearing blocks 12 being used as hereinbefore described. The supporting structuremay be trundled along on the ground wheels 8, the sleds 11 and 5 coacting to regulate the movement of the, supporting structure from i.

one stack to another. The base rails 1 at the respective sides of the supporting structure are united by a forward frame embodying front posts 14, the lower ends of which lie between the base rails 1 at the opposite sides of the supporting structure and are attached thereto by securing elements 15. The forward-frame includes upper rafters 16 disposed at an angle to form a gable, the

upper ends of the upper rafters being united. Disposedbelow the upper. rafters 16 and parallel thereto are lower rafters .17 crossed upon each other as shown at 18, the ends 19 of the lower rafters 17 being disposed transversely of the upper rafters 16 and being secured thereto. The rafters 16 and 17 are secured to the front posts 14, the lower ends of the rafters projecting laterally beyond the front posts, as. shown at 20. United with the ends 20 of the rafters 16 and with the front posts 14 are braces 21 disposed at an acute angle to the frontposts 14.

The invention comprises a rear frame 22 which need not be described in detail, since itis madelike thelforward framehereinbefore described, saving for the fact that the posts 23 of the rear frame 22 are separated by a slightly greater distance than the front posts 14 of the forward frame, and in this connection, it is to be observed that thepairs of base rails l at the respective sides of the supporting structure diverge as theyextend rearwardly. Owing to the construction above described, the supporting structure may be withdrawn readily from a stack, after thestack has been built up. The posts 14 and 23 of the forward and rear frames, respectively, may be united by braces 24, and by crossed counters 25.

The invention comprises an extension post 26 carrying as shown in Fig. 1, a shoulder 27 resting on the upper end of one of the braces 21, the extension post embodying a depending shank 28 extended downwardly along the side-of the said brace and secured thereto, the extensionpost being in alinement with the brace whereunto it is secured, and constituting a continuation of the said brace.

The invention comprises a trackwhich is secured to the'lower rafters '17 and in the- .thereby is a carriage 33 in which is vertically slidable a latch 34 provided at its lower end with a crotch 35 and equipped at its upper end with a tranverse head 36. In the track bars 39 adjacent their forward ends, seats 37 are formed, and to the rear of the seats 37, the bars 29 which go to make up i the track are provided with inclines 38.

Depending from the carriage 33 is a pulley 39. A pulley 40 is carried by the lower block 32 which connects the track bars 29 at their rear ends. A sheave 41 is supported for rotation on one pair of base rails 1, ad jacent the rear ends thereof. The numeral 43 indicates a hay fork of any desired sort, the trip rope whereof is denoted by the nu meral 44. A flexible element 42 is run through the pulley blocks 39 and 40 and through the sheave 41, the flexible element being assembled with the hay fork 43. As shown at 45, one end of a flexible element 46 is connected with .the carriage 33, the flexible element being trained through a sheave 47 carried by one of the track bars 29 adjacent its forward end, and throughout asheave 48 mounted on the upper end of the extension post 26. Attached to the lower end of the flexible element 46 is a weight 49.

In practical operation, assuming that the structure is arranged as shown in Fig. 1, and that thefork 43 is at'the forward end of the-device, a wagon may be driven up along point to form a stack.

The flexible element 46 and the weight 49 exercise two functions. First, they constitute a means for holdlng the carnage 33 1n .a forward position, while the hay fork 43 is being elevated, and secondly, they constitute a means for drawing the carriage 33 forwardly after the flexible element 42 has been slacked away. The flexible element 42 carries a projection 50 and, as the flexible element 42 is drawn rearwardly, this projec tion engages with the crotch 35' of the latch 34 and elevates the latch, so that the transverse head 36 of the latch is disengaged from the seats or notches 37 in the track bars 29. Thereupon, the carriage 33 may be drawn rearwardly by the flexible element 42. hen the carriage is advanced, the trans verse head 36 of the latch 35 rides up on the inclines 38 and drops into the seats or notches 37 thus maintaining the carriage in an advanced position until such a time as the hay fork 43 may have been elevated, thereby to bring the clamp or abutment 50 on the flexible element 42 into engagement with the crotch 35 of the latch 34.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed is 1. In a device of the class described, a pair of frames each comprising upright posts; upper rafters disposed at an angle to each other and assembled with the posts; a pair of lower rafters disposed in intersecting relation and assembled wit-h the posts, the upper ends of the lower rafters being crossed upon each other and being connected at their upper ends with the upper rafters, below the angle defined by the upper rafters; base rails whereunto the posts of the said frames are secured; inclined braces connected with the lower ends of the upper and lowerrafters and with the posts of the frames; a track carried by the lower rafters of the frames adjacent the point of crossing of the said rafters; a carriage mounted to traverse the track; a flexible element slidably assembled with the carriage, and a holding means carried by the flexible element.

2. In a device of the class described, a supporting structure including a track provided on its upper edge with an incline defining a shoulder; a carriage mounted to move along the track; a flexible element as sembled with the carriage; a gripping-means carried by the flexible element; and a latch including a stem vertically slidable in the carriage, the stem being provided at its upper end with a transverse head adapted to ride along the incline and to engage behind In testimony that I claim the foregoing as the shoulder, the lower end of the stem termy own, Ihave hereto aflixed my signature minating in a fork; and a projection on the in the presence of two Witnesses.

flexible element and adapted to be received ISAAC MILES. in the fork to effect a lifting of the latch Witnesses:

and a disengagement of the head of the latch AMES W. JOHNSON,

from the shoulder. VAN BUREN PERRY.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addres ssinz the "Co mmlssioner of Patents,

Washington, D. G." I 

